PETALING JAYA: A Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) lecturer who was at the Sri Petaling mosque tabligh event did go under self-quarantine after the event held on March 1, says the university.

UPM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Aini Ideris said on Wednesday (March 25) that the allegations that the lecturer did not follow the Health Ministry’s protocol for those suspected of Covid-19 was false.

She said this in response to a report on Tuesday (March 24) by an online news portal that they had received a WhatsApp message saying a UPM lecturer had not informed that he attended the tabligh event and had gone on teaching as usual.

Based on their own internal, detailed investigations, Aini said, the lecturer was only at the event for two hours and left after he was told that the programme was meant for those going on a four-month preaching mission.

“As soon as he found out about the Health Ministry’s instructions, he went and did a Covid-19 test at our University Health Centre on March 12,12 days after the event, ” she said in a statement on Wednesday (March 25).

She added that their health centre had done the test according to the ministry’s standard operating procedure and placed the lecturer under self-quarantine for 14 days as he did not show any symptoms.

He was monitored regularly every two days, she continued.

Prof Aini said the lecturer showed no symptoms after 24 days.

“However, due to the Health Ministry’s new directive, the University Health Centre ordered him to go for a swab test at Kajang Hospital.

“He has undergone a swab test and has been informed by Kajang Hospital that he will receive a telephone call if the decision is positive, ” she added.

“As a precautionary measure, UPM has always ensured that staff are in compliance with instructions issued by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council, ” she continued.

Prof Aini said the university had also issued a directive to all staff involved with any of the Covid-19 positive case clusters to undergo testing.